Experiment 365 - Molecular Deux

What happens when you take a fiber that is lighter than water but 15x stronger than steel and wrap cotton around it? Do it right and you get a denim that can double as motorcycle armor. We don't really care about motorcycle racing though, so that's not what we use it for, we just use it to make a denim that's almost too durable.

The literal core of the fibers in this cloth is Ultrahigh Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE), a crystalline fiber that is light enough to float on water but 15x stronger than steel. The weft yarns also include a small amount of elastane for a modest stretch, the type that manifests more as an absence of restriction than a "stretchy" feeling. Around those cores are a whole bunch of cotton staples. The weft yarns are left white, the warp yarns are sulphur-dyed black and the two are woven together into a classic black denim. Like most raw denims this stuff will crock like a motherfucker all over your white couches and the tops of your high tops. Treat it with the proper respect and care, especially when unwashed, a wash or two definitely will calm things down.

While the UHMWPE might be lighter than water, the fabric itself is anything but light, at 500gsm (14.75 oz) this stuff is a serious denim weight and behaves as such. In theory it should be much more durable when things get a little drastic but hopefully you never need to go there anyway.